Lock



C. WOLF.

LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 14, |916.

Patented June 22, 1920..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 22, 1920.

Application filed October 14, 1916. Serial No. 125,615.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES WbLF, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented Locks, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple, substantial a'nd reliable combination locking device particularly adapted to hold a rotary member from turning until all of a number of controlling members have been brought into predetermined positions; the construction being especially designed for application to the steering post of a motor vehicle, to prevent the unauthorized operation thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination lock having its parts so positioned thatY its locking bolt tends to remain-in its released position under the action of gravity although retained in its locking position by springpawls or dogs ;-the arrangement of parts being such that while said bolt may at any time be moved into its locking position regardless of the positions of the other parts, it can be moved to a releasing position only when said parts all occupy definite predetermined positions.

It is further desired to provide relatively simple means for conveniently and quickly altering the combination of the lockwhile retaining the locking'rings in unaltered relative positions.

These objects and other` advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to thel accompanying drawings, in which,

Figurel is a side elevation of a motor ve hicle steering post showing my invention as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the device shownin Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively affront and a side elevation of the locking bolt forming part of my invention; 1

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a vertical section and a plan of one ofthe locking rings;

Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a plan anda vertical section of one of the'combination rings; and Y Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views of one of the pawlsand one of the pawl springs re.- spectively.

In the above drawings l .represents the fixed structure for'supporting the steering post 2 and this has cylindrical extensions la and 4 which project upward concentrically with said post. On the upper end of the steering post is non-removably fixed the steering wheel 3 and between this and the shoulder between the parts 4 andlaL is a series of locking rings 5 rotatably mounted on said part 4. This latter as well as the part la of the fixed structure is longitudinally slotted for the reception of a longitudinally slidable locking bolt 6 which has an operating arm or handle 7 projecting at right angles to its length and operative in an enlarged portion 8 of the slot in the fixed part la.

It is noted that the locking bolt preferably extends upwardly toward the steering wheel 3 which has one or a series of holes 9 formed in the under face of its hub for the reception of the upper end of said bolt so that the wheel 3 and therefore the -post connected thereto may be iminovably held in any one of a number of positions. `7hile the bolt may be made in any of a number of forms, it is preferably formed with a longitudinally extending slot 22 in which are pivotally mounted a series of pawls or dogs l1 at all times forced outwardly by springs l2.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each of the locking rings has an inwardly extending flange l() which alone has bearing on the' cylindrical fixed part 4, so that each of said rings has an annular recess surrounding said part, into which one of the locking pawls 1l may project when the bolt 6 which carries it occupies its locking position. There is thus alocking pawl for each locking ring except that next the fixed part la andthese pawls are so mounted that they will all be simultaneously projected into the annular recesses of said rings when the bolt 6 has been moved upwardly into the recess 9 into position to loclivthe steering wheel.

Each of the locking rings 5 has in its flange a narrow opening 14 sufficiently wide to permit passage of one of the pawls l1 and as above noted there is on the bolt 6 a pawl for each of said locking rings except the lowest one of the series7 which merely has an opening 14 of suflicient width to pass the pawl ll of the next higher ring when the bolt moves longitudinally after said pawl and opening have been brought into line.

Each of the locking rings 5 hasA rotatably mounted upon it a combination ring 15 of the. same width, and in the case illustrated, there are six locking rings with six combination rings mountedin the space between the steering wheel 3 and the shoulder formed onV inrwhich is mounted a spring 1S at all timesY pressing inwardly a ball 19 so that it enters or tends to enter any one of a series of shallowdepressions 2O in the external cylindrical surface of the locking ring 5. These notches or recesses 20 are placed at predetermined and preferably uniform distances apart and the arrangementis such that when anyof the holding screws 16 is slacked off,- the correspondingspring-pressed -pawl 19VV none the less holds together the cooperating locking and` combination rings so that the turning ofthe latter necessarilyV turns theV former. l

from turning, then a forcible rotationof the combinationl ring moves the l pawl 19 into its recess 17 against Vthe action of the spring and permits an adjustment of the relative positions of said' rings. Each' of the combination rings has on its outer surface a series of numbers, letters or otherV symbols such as is shown in Fig. 1, and there arefthe same number of symbols on each ring, so that it is possible by turning the various rings VAto bring any desired succession or combinations of said'symbols into a line parallel to the line of the steering post 2. Y A l Y Y Under conditions of use when it is desired to lock` the steering wheel 3 from unauthorized operation, the handle 7 of the locking boltgis moved longitudinally of th i steering post so thatl its upper end enters oneof the holes 9 in the hub of the steering wheel. "When said bolt occupies this locking position, all of the pawls 11 project outwardly.V under the actionof their springs so that their free ends` extend respectively within the hollow or annular recesses of the locking'rings. The reverse movement of the bolt Gis Yeifectually prevented, since the free end of each of the pawls rests'upon the liange 10 of the locking ring next below it. Even if the opening 14 of one or several of the rings should happen to lie in line with the cooperating pawluor pawls, the releasing movement of the bolt 6 would be impossible untilv all of said pawls were so positioned. i f, Y Y In order to release the bolt from locking engagement with the steering wheel, it is necessary ythat the various combination rings 15 be rotated until the predetermined successionV of symbols lie in the same straight line,.at which time all ofthe openings lt in the locking rings are in line with the pawls of theadj acent rings, and a downward movement'of the bolt 6 suiiicient to free its upper end from the hole 9 of the steering wheel is possible. Obviously with Ysuch' an arrangement of parts it is a'practical impossibility for a person, not knowing the combination ofthe device, to release tionI rings and forcibly'turning the corre-v sponding locking ring against the action of its spring-pressed ball 19, while said ring' is'rheld by its pawl. For this purpose'the bolt is moved to a positionin'whichits pawls lie"v inthe notches or openings 14 and after each adjustmentthe ball serves to re- Y Y Y j tain'eachpair of thecoperating rings in If, however, the Ylocking vrings arev held.

their given positions' until the connecting` screw is again set up. J Y

In order Yto prevent or render diiicultthe release of the locking bolt byA experimentalV operation of the locking rings, the upper faces of their anges areprovided with projections as shown-at 25 and-notches between the same so that when they are turned'there is produced an oscillation of their pawls and a resulting slight movement of the bolt which will effectually prevent a detection by the'sense of touch ofthat position of said pawls in which the boltj may be oper ated.V Y p Y rI claim Y Y Y' Y1; A combination lock consisting of a relatively 'fixed' structure; a rotatablel member to be locked extending through said struc-y ture; arbolt longitudinally movable in the ixedjstructure to one side of the axis of rotation of said member and positioned to extend into and lock the same; a series of outwardly projecting pawls carried in a slot of said bolt; with aV series of'flanged rings mounted with their flanges in 'positions to normally prevent longitudinal movement of the pawls with the bolt, said flanges having openings respectively in positions to permit passage of the pawls and movement ofthe bolt when the rings occupy predetermined positions: 'p 2. A combination lock consisting of a fixed structure having a cylindrical por tion;- a member to be locked rotatable concentrically with said fixed portion; a bolt slidably guided to one lside of the -axiswof rotation of said member and Vmovableinto andout of engagement with said member; a series of rings Arotatably mounted on'said fixed structure and" each having a slotted iiangefwith pawlscarried by the bolt and combination normally held by said rings from movement while being free to move when the slots of the ring flanges occupy predetermined positions.

3. The combination of a fixed structure having a cylindrical portion; a steering post extending through said iixed portion; a steering wheel on said post; a bolt slidable in the fixed structure into and out oi' engagement with the steering Wheel; a Sries of pawls carried by the bolt; with a series of rings rotatably mounted on the xed structure so" as to extend around lthe post and normally preventing movement of the patvls and the bolt, but formed to permit such movementwhen in predetermined positions.

4. The combination of a fixed Structure having a cylindrical portion; a bolt movable longitudinally of said xed portion in a line parallel with the center line thereof; a series of outwardly acting spring pawls carried by the bolt; a rotatable structure having a portion placed to be engaged by the bolt so as to be held from movement; with a series of inwardly flanged rings rotatable on the fixed structure and normally presenting their flanges to the pawls so as to prevent movement of the bolt while having openings respectively placed to permit passage ot' the pawls when in predetermined positions.

5. A combination lock consisting of a series of locking rings; a series oi' independent combination rings respectively mounted on said locking rings; spring actuated plungers for normally holding each combination ring in a definite position upon its locking ring; and means for locking each locking ring to its combination ring.

CHARLES WOLF. 

